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Alert

RSF denounces threats against private radio station

**Updates IFEX alerts of 5 and 4 April 2000**

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Jacques Edouard Alexis, prime minister and minister of the interior, RSF expressed its deep concern further to the threats against and intimidation of journalists at the private radio station Radio Vision 2000. In his letter, RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard asked the Haitian prime minister "to take all necessary measures to guarantee the safety of Radio Vision 2000's journalists and offices." The organisation also asked Alexis "to launch an inquiry into these threats", and reminded him that it wished to be kept informed of developments in the investigation into the 3 April 2000 assassination of Jean Dominique, director of the radio station Radio Haïti Inter.


Since 3 April, the day on which Dominique was killed, the editorial offices of Radio Vision 2000 have received a number of anonymous telephone threats warning of the preparation of an armed attack against the station's offices. On 3 April, gunshots were also fired in front of the residence of Daly Valet, the station's information director and co-host of the programme "Vision 2000 à l'écoute". As a consequence, the radio station was forced to suspend broadcasts of the programme.

RSF believes that in light of the 3 April assassination of Dominique, these threats must be taken seriously. Dominique was known for his commitment to democracy. He had made many enemies through his editorials, in which he criticised both the "tontons macoutes" of the Duvalier dictatorship years (1957 - 1986) and "putschist" soldiers.